Meet Steve Shoesmith, 5% Nutrition-Sponsored Athlete

By Steve Shoesmith, 5% Nutrition-Sponsored Athlete – Everyone has a reason why they do what everyone reading this does – kicking ass in the gym. For me, I had the honor of acting in the original “Judge Dredd” feature film (1995), playing the character Judge Dunn and I trained with Sylvester Stallone every morning for six weeks. That’s when I got into bodybuilding seriously and have been in many movies due to the fact of my job – I am a professional male stripper and, yes, am still doing it now at the age of 47.

I am native Canadian by birth but moved to the United Kingdom 20 years ago to work with the British Chippendale’s. Training is a lifestyle choice for me and defines me as a person and keeps me young. I was a skinny teenager and was bullied, so I decided to start lifting weights. Not to get huge, but to be able to do something on my own.

After having that opportunity to work out with Stallone, I wanted to do it every day. I’ve competed 13 times from the amateur level straight through to the IFBB Euro Elite Championships and three masters over 40’s competitions, which I did pretty good in, if I may add.

I still train heavy but more clever these days, not throwing the weights around like I did in my 20’s and 30’s due to being conscious of getting injuries and changing things up to get a better result. As you get older, you should get wiser and I learned from my mistakes and am still learning and try new things every week.

This part is hard for me but if I can help one person, I have done my job. About 14 years ago, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder or manic depression. Nothing major happened to set it off and the doctors said it was a chemical imbalance and medication can help and it does. Having bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you’re crazy and alot more people have it than you think. For me, the gym helps a lot when I have the occasional bad days. So you guys that can relate to this – you’re not alone.

I’ve been involved with 5% Nutrition and the boss Rich Piana from the beginning indirectly and always felt like a 5%er. Finally someone told the truth about the industry and steroidslike Piana did. Before that, I was sponsored by a different nutrition company and had to tell people that I used their products in order to get into shape. I never even used the stuff (protein shakes, etc.) and Piana came out and said the truth and I felt liberated.

I left that other company and basically said ‘fuck you’ to them and started watching Piana‘s videos. I don’t follow a lot of people on social media because I believe in the real world. I started telling people the truth about myself and didn’t have to hide or talk bullshitanymore. I respect that the 5% way is a lifestyle and ethos which I believe in. I will always be a 5%er till the day I leave this world and hopefully will be in the gym until I am no longer here, as well!